Chapter 10
MARVIN/SLATE
‘Damn, the bloody van won’t start.’ Slate groaned, turning the key one more time.
‘I don’t know how you’ve kept it running this long,’ Jed told him. ‘It’s more patched up than one of those quilts Grandma used to make. You need to get rid, Dad.’
Slate sighed. ‘We need this van. How are we going to carry around the band’s equipment without it?’
‘Maybe it’s time you gave up the band too,’ Jed said with a grin. ‘You are getting on a bit now. You’ll be getting your old age pension in a couple of years.’ He ducked to avoid Slate’s playful slap.
‘I’m going to be rocking until I drop,’ Slate replied. ‘And there’s plenty of life left in this van too. I’ll get it repaired but right now I need a lift. Any chance you can give me one?’
Jed checked his watch. ‘As long as it isn’t too far. Where are you off to?’
‘To check out a room to let,’ Slate gave him the address.
‘It’s only a fifteen-minute drive.’ Then he frowned. ‘Why a room to let? You and Decaf not getting on?’
Slate grimaced. ‘Me and Decaf get on fine, it’s me and his girlfriend Muriel who don’t. The place isn’t the same since she moved in so I’m moving out before we have a big row.’
‘I get that but do you really want to share a house with strangers, Dad? What if you don’t get on with them? You’ll be back to square one.’
‘It’s only temporary, until I get a flat of my own. Can you drop me off? No problem if you can’t.’
‘Sure, but I won’t be able to pick you up. I’ve got an appointment this evening.’ Jed was a financial consultant.
‘That’s okay, I’ll get an Uber.’
‘Best get in then. Call me later and let me know how it goes. You can always have the sofa at ours until you get straight, if the room isn’t suitable.’
‘Thanks,’ Slate said, although he had no intention of taking his son up on that offer, he appreciated him making it.
A short drive later, Jed pulled up at a large, suburban house in a leafy street, in the better part of town. ‘This looks a bit upmarket, Dad,’ he said approvingly.
‘It does, doesn’t it?’ Slate got out and with a quick wave, Jed was off.
Slate stood outside the house for a moment, taking it all in.
It was very different from the terraced house he shared in town with Decaf – and now Muriel too.
It looked immaculate, like one of those places where you were scared to sit down in case you messed up the cushions.
He shrugged. He wasn’t in that much; he could manage.
It was somewhere to lay his head until he found something else.
Jackie said she was meeting him here but there was no sign of her yet.
Perhaps he’d better hang on until she arrived.
He glanced around the drive as he waited. The front garden was well kept, there was a garage and room for at least three cars to park on the drive.
The door opened. ‘Mr Jarvis?’
‘That’s me.’ The woman on the doorstep was quite tall, blonde highlighted hair, about sixty he’d guess.
She looked him up and down and he was sure he saw a hint of disapproval in her gaze.
Damn, he should have changed out of the jeans.
‘I’m guessing you’re Nancy?’ he asked, thinking he’d probably failed the first impressions test already.
‘No, I’m Val. Nancy – Mrs Marshall – is my sister. Come in, she’s waiting for you.’
Phew! Not the homeowner then. Hopefully the sister would be a little friendlier.
She had emphasised the ‘Mrs Marshall’ to let him know that Nancy was married, he knew from Jackie that her husband had walked out a couple of weeks ago.
He guessed that as well as needing the extra income, Nancy might be glad of some company.
A lot of people struggled to cope on their own.
He should know; he’d only survived six months without Jed, before letting the house go and renting a series of rooms. He liked having people around him.
‘I was waiting for Jackie…’
The words were no sooner out of his mouth than Jackie’s red Ford turned into the drive.
‘Sorry, I’m a bit late,’ she said as she got out. She glanced at the doorstep where another, smaller woman was now standing. ‘Hi, Nancy, this is Marvin. Marvin, this is Nancy.’
Nancy Marshall looked a lot more approachable than her sister. Her face was softer, Slate thought in relief, and she was wearing jeans too.
‘Pleased to meet you, Marvin. The room is rather small, I’m afraid, and a bit further away from the bathroom. But quite peaceful.’
He smiled. ‘That’s okay. I only need somewhere to sleep and I don’t mind walking a few steps to the bathroom.’
‘Oh, wonderful! You’d better come in and take a look then. You too, Jackie. Would you please make a coffee, Val, while I show Marvin around?’ Nancy led the way upstairs while Val disappeared into the kitchen. Slate had the feeling that Val didn’t approve of him.
‘I’m afraid that I haven’t had time to clear it yet. My… ex… husband used it as an office,’ Nancy said.
It was a decent size and overlooked the front drive. Which was good as he could keep an eye on his van. ‘I presume you have a bed and wardrobe you can bring?’ Nancy asked.
‘Sure, that’s not a problem. It’s a nice room.’
‘My room is next to the bathroom,’ Jackie told him.
Slate grinned. ‘That figures. And there’s another lodger?’
‘I prefer to call you all paying guests, as you all only want the room for a short time,’ Nancy said, briefly explaining how she wanted to keep everything informal. ‘Phyllis is taking the other room. Will you mind being the only man in the house?’
‘Not at all. I’m well house-trained. Had to be as I was a single dad, so I won’t be leaving a mess for anyone to clear up after me.’
‘Pleased to hear it, because one of the conditions of your tenancy is to keep your room clean,’ Val butted in. She’d come up to join them now.
‘I wouldn’t expect anything different,’ he answered with an easy smile. ‘Now, shall we get the formalities over with?’
Nancy ran through the basic house rules and said that she needed a month’s rent up front, which he paid immediately via his phone, and that was it, all settled.
‘Could I possibly move in this weekend?’ he asked. ‘I’m eager to get out of my current digs since my mate moved his girlfriend in. And don’t worry about clearing the room. I can help you do that when I arrive.’
‘Well, the others are moving in on Sunday so I guess you might as well all arrive together. If you’re sure you’re happy to help clear the room.’
‘No problem. About eleven okay?’
She nodded. ‘See you on Sunday, Marvin.’
It always seemed strange to be called Marvin, especially if they were going to be house sharing. He’d been Slate for so many years, but Marvin was his official name. ‘Look, other than at work, everyone calls me Slate, so happy for you to do so if you want,’ he said.
‘Do they?’ Jackie asked in surprise. ‘I never knew that.’
‘Slate?’ Val repeated raising her eyebrows disapprovingly. ‘What kind of name is that?’
Nancy threw her a look. ‘Slate it is then. Goodbye. See you on Sunday.’
‘Is it okay if I just hang on a few minutes and phone an Uber? My van’s broken down so my son gave me a lift.’
‘No need, I’ll give you a lift,’ Jackie told him.
‘I meant to ask you, what classes do you run at the library?’ Nancy asked as she saw them to the door.
‘Tracing your family history – it’s a hobby of mine – and poetry – another hobby of mine.’
Even Val looked impressed. Good, maybe he might have gone up in their estimation, he thought as he followed Jackie out, relieved to be leaving. He didn’t want to answer any more questions. He had a feeling that Val would definitely disapprove if she knew he was in a rock band.